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Hi Randy, My question for today would be, when Jesus comes and ressurrects everyone (that's everyone from The Beggining to The End right.) why, if we all meet Him a part of the way, are the ones who were beheaded in Revelation 20:4 the onlys ones living and reigning with Christ for the thousand years? Where does everyone else go? To heaven? Hey I found something that fits perfectly. Revelation 19:15 ... "He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." and Revelation 14:19-20 "So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridals, for one thousand six hundred furlongs."  The words in red are the same in each verse right, that means we are gone before the bowls which are Gods wrath, right. Because 14:19,20 is right before the bowls. And you said Christ only comes once, and He comes to "tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God". And thats why "God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. I just thought of something else now that we are on this verse. The writing in red, would that be an answer to my first question? But I'm still confused about Revelation 20:4. You know now that I think about it you sound like a nice guy, every other website I go to they do nothing but tell me I'm a "dumbsheep" and I'm "already doomed". I'm a pre-trib believer, and my dad and I are stuggling with the word, maybe that's why because we are looking for something that's not there, I don't know. But anyways thank-you and hope to hear from you.Your friend in Christ. M.

 My answer:

Hi M.,
I'm glad to hear from you again! I enjoy your questions, they are fresh and well thought out.

You wrote: when Jesus comes and ressurrects everyone (that's everyone from The Beggining to The End right.) why, if we all meet Him a part of the way, are the ones who were beheaded in Revelation 20:4 the onlys ones living and reigning with Christ for the thousand years? Where does everyone else go? To heaven?

My response: To make things more clear, everyone who is found blameless will be in the first resurrection when Jesus comes.

Revelation 20:4 is not saying that the beheaded saints are the only ones who reign with Christ during the thousand years. The context of Revelation, after chapter 3, deals specifically with the last days of this age. In the last days the majority of believers who hold to their testimony for Jesus will probably be killed or imprisoned (Daniel 11:33) and so the visions of Revelation are just being specific as to the saints of that moment. Since so many other scriptures tell us about the resurrection of ALL the saints we can safely surmise that this is probably an encouragement to those future saints who will endure the worst of the church's persecution. Jesus told his disciples that they would reign with him (Matthew 19:28-30. Luke 22:28-30), as one example, and they aren't the saints that are beheaded in Revelation. All true believers will rise in the first resurrection and enter Christ's kingdom on earth (Daniel 12:1-3).

You wrote: Hey I found something that fits perfectly. Revelation 19:15 ... "He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." and Revelation 14:19-20 "So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridals, for one thousand six hundred furlongs."  The words in red are the same in each verse right, that means we are gone before the bowls which are Gods wrath, right. Because 14:19,20 is right before the bowls.

My response: Good work! In regards to the bowls we have to watch wording very carefully and always pay attention to the context and where it ends and starts a new scene or vision. What we see after 14:20 is a good example of this. We see the wrath of God played out in 14:17-20 and then 15:1 starts a different perspective of the vision with, 'I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign:'

The bowls are a rehash of the last 3.5 years of the age. In it they describe with different details the desolation and judgments of God on the earth and mankind just like the seals and trumpets. Each are the same but give us different perspectives and details of the same events. For example, the saints shown in 15:2 are the souls of the martyrs but they are not resurrected yet. We see another picture of them in the fifth seal in 6:9-11. A key verse that shows the resurrection hadn't occurred yet is 16:15. In it we see Jesus proclaiming to be watchful and ready for his coming because it will be sudden and with great surprise for those who are not believers and understand the signs of his coming. True believers live in the light of Christ and watch for the signs of his coming and they will not be surprised like a thief (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:6). Compare the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl.

There are some important considerations when reading Bible prophecy that we always have to keep in mind. I have wrote a simple "How To Understand" page on my web site, use this link to take a look: http://www.lastday.info/understanding.html

You wrote: And you said Christ only comes once, and He comes to "tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God". And thats why "God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

My response: Again, very good! Remember that although God did not appoint us to wrath he will not evacuate us ahead of time. No where in the Bible does it speak of an evacuation ahead of the wrath. Instead it says that the LORD will rescue us from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10). That means he saves us from within it like someone who is saved out of a raging river. If we are evacuated from the raging river then the meaning changes because we wouldn't be there by the time the river starts to rage because we vacated ahead of time.

You wrote: I just thought of something else now that we are on this verse. The writing in red, would that be an answer to my first question? But I'm still confused about Revelation 20:4.

My response: Yes, I believe between the two of us God has answered your question :o)

You wrote: You know now that I think about it you sound like a nice guy, every other website I go to they do nothing but tell me I'm a "dumbsheep" and I'm "already doomed".

My response: I'm very sorry to hear how others are treating you in the name of Jesus Christ. I appreciate your kind thoughts about me. These 'others' need to be careful about condemning people, only God can do that. I believe that treating someone with kindness should not stop just because someone doesn't know something or disagrees with me. I ask everyone to not believe me but believe the one who sent me by checking the scriptures themselves. Unfortunately some people take it as a personal affront when you disagree with them.

Although I get mostly very encouraging email I do also get very nasty email and it usually is from the type of people who have treated you as 'dumb' or lost. Forgive them and love them anyway :o)

You wrote: I'm a pre-trib believer, and my dad and I are stuggling with the word, maybe that's why because we are looking for something that's not there, I don't know. But anyways thank-you and hope to hear from you.Your friend in Christ. Mark

My response: If you approach God's Word with an open heart and ask him for wisdom then you won't be struggling for long. Many people have come to my web site as pre-trib believers and have become post-trib in their beliefs. I always hear the same thing from them, "Everything suddenly seems so clear!" Suddenly there are no more contradicting areas and what used to be topical studies of little segments of the Bible have become an understanding of the 'big picture' and everything falls into place.

I also was a pre-trib believer at one time and very confused. I finally asked God to give me wisdom and remove all that was not of him and replace it with his truth only. Since that time my life has been an abundant life of freedom, understanding and a truly awesome relationship with the Father!

It is so very important to understand what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about. It is not just about being set free from sin, that freedom is a wonderful gift he has given us for this life time. But our hope, through the forgiveness of sins, is the eternal life to come! Our reward is the resurrection. Through that gateway we enter the kingdom of God and eternal life. Here is what the Bible says the good news is: Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:14-15. If that is the focal point of the gospel then shouldn't we focus where our hope is, that is, knowing when the resurrection takes place and the signs of its coming. Paul wrote, I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:10-14. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Obviously a life in keeping with the Spirit of God is essential to entering the gate of eternal life, but that comes when we understand and believe the true message of the gospel. It produces fear of God and a clearer understanding of his grace and love for us. The Bible says that the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom.

I am ready and willing to help you and your Dad in anyway I am able - it would be an honor. It is the purpose for which I was called and of this ministry.

I prayed I have served you well,

Randy